Motion-picture machine.



H. A. DE VRY.

MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. I916.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

III

H. A. DE VRY.

MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY], 1916.

1,288,581 Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

H. A. DE VRY.

MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. 1916.

1,288,531 0 Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

nsrrnn snares earner anion.

HERMAN A. m: VRY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO THE DE VRY CORPORATION,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION. OF ILLINOIS.

' MOTION-PICTURE MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

Application filed May 1, 1916. Serial No. 94,553.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. DE VRY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion-Picture Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to motion picture machines. a

I One object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for exposing a continuus or endless coil of film.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide improved devices for guiding an endless film.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detail description.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention, the cover being open. Fig. 1 is a det-ail section of one of the rolls for the film. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the switch and electric connections for controlling the lamp and the motor. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the mechanism for automatically operating the switch. Fig. 5 is a section taken online 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

The apparatus is illustrated in a motion picture machine comprising a portable case containing all of the appartus. This case consists of a body having a side 10, bottom 11, top 12, front 13, back 14, and a hinged cover 15 forming the other side of the case.-

The case contains an electric motor 16 for driving the film-feeding mechanism, an incandescent lamp for projecting light through .the film, and a holder 18 for the condensing lenses, which may be of any suitable construction.

The apparatus is designed to expose an endless film. The film,when operatively connected to the machine. comprises a coil consisting of a series of loops 20 held on a pair of idler rolls 21 and These rolls are disposed laterally of one another and each is provided with a removable disk 23 to permit the film coil to he slipped laterally onto the idler rolls. Each of said rolls is mounted on a stud 24 fixed to the side 10 of the case and each removable disk 23 is.held on its stud by a forked clip 25 slidably held in a groove 26 on its stud. In employing a pair of idler rolls disposed laterally of one another with upper and lower connecting reaches, it is desirable to keep the coil taut to avoid rubbing between the convolutions or loops of film and for this purpose, an adjustable support is provided for the upper reach of the film loops between the idler rolls. This support consists of a roller 26' disposed under the top reaches of the coil, and mounted on a stud 27 fixed to a' bracket 28 which is secured to the side 10 of the case bv thumb-screws29, thebracket being slotted, as at 30, to permit Vertical adjustmentof the roller. Vertical shift of this roller acts on all of the film convolutions of the upper reach of the coil, so that a slight adjustment serves totake up considerable looseness in the film. This adjustable support has been found to be important, particularly where the supports for the coil consist of idler rolls and the coil is operated en tirely by a pull on the film. The feed-mechanism for the film is adapted to act on a loop between the loops of the coil, so that bypulling the film off the coil, the latter will be operated to simultaneously unwind and take up the film.

The feed mechanism comprises a continuous feed sprocket 31 disposed at one side of the vertical plane of the film coil, an intermittent feed-sprocket 32 disposed in the plane of the coil and a continuous takeup sprocket 33 also disposed in the vertical plane of the film-coil. Feed sprocket 31 is adapted to operate the film coil by a pull upon the film, and as a result, the film between said sprocket and the coil is kept taut at all times. To cause the coil to be operated with the fewest possible bends in-the coil and to avoid uneven tension on different transverse portions of the film, the film V from the inner convolutions of the coil passes around a guide-roller 34 disposed within the coil and inclined slightly, relatively to the axis of the coil, and a roller 35 having its axis parallel to the roller 34 and disposed substa-ntially'in the vertical plane of the feed-sprocket 31. Both of these rollers are cylindrical and as a result, there will be an even tension on all transverse portions of the film between the coil and the feed-sprocket 31 disposed at'one side of the vertical plane of the film coil. This arrangement of guiderollers avoids destructive bending -of the film. Each of the rollers 3 and 35 is mounted in a yoke 36 which is pi'votally adjustable on a fixed bracket, being pivoted thereto by a bolt 37. The yoke for the roller 34 is adjustably connected to a bracket 38 secured to the side 10 of the case, and the yoke for I the roller 35 is similarly secured to a bracket 39 whichis also fixed to said side of the case. In practice, it has been found that by means of the adjustments provided, these guide-rollers may be accurately set to avoid uneven tension of the film.

Rollers 40 and 41 are suitably mounted to hold a portion -of the film on the continuousfeed sprocket 31. From said sprocket, the film passes in a loose loop 20 to a roller 42 at the upper end of the exposure frame 43. From roller 42, the film passes across the exposure opening in said frame and thence under a roller--14 and to the intermittent feed-sprocket 32. From said sprocket, the film passes in a loose coil 20 to the continuous take-up sprocket' 33. The axes of the idler rolls for the coil, the continuous feedsprocket, the intermittent feed-sprocket and the continuous take-up sprocket are all parallel to one another and the idler rolls, intermittent feed-sprocket and continuous take-up sprocket are all disposed in the same vertical plane, only the continuous feed sprocket being located out of the plane ofthe film coil. As a result, of this arrangement, the bends in the film, particularly those portions under tension, are avoided so far as possible and this makes it possible to operate the film coil entirely by pulling the film off the innermost convolutions of the coil, such movement of the coil serving to automatically wind up the film paid out by the continuous take-up sprocket.

The mechanism for driving the feed-mechanism from the motor 16 comprises a belt 4-7 which operates a pulley 48 on a shaft 1 suitably mounted in a frame 50 which supports all of the film-feeding mechanism; a pinion 51 on shaft 49 meshing with a pinion 52 on a shaft 53; a pinion 54 on shaft 53 meshing with a gear 55 on a shaft 56 to which the continuous take-up sprocket 33 is secured; a gear 57 fixed to shaft 56 and meshing with a gear 58 onthe shaft 59 of the continuous feed-sprocket 31; and an intermittent gear between shaft 49 and a shaft 60 of the intermittent feed-sprocket 32 comprising a pin 61 rotating with pulley 48 and a Geneva gear 62 fixed to the shaft 60 ofthe intermittent feed sprocket. It will beunderstood that all of the sprockets have associated therewith rollers for holding the film in operative engagement therewith. A shutter 63 is secured to'shaft 53 in front of the projecting'lenses 61, as well understood in the art.

Continuous-film machines are usually operated continuously and are designed to display advertisements Without requiring the attention of an operator. In machines for displaying endless films, in which the coil of the film is operated by a pull upon the film and is unwound and wound by a pull of the film, it is important to provide means for stopping the feed-mechanism, if there should be a break in the film, because it would be possible for the break to occur at such a point as to cause all of the film to be paid out by the feed-mechanism before the break reaches the feed-mechanism. One feature of the invention consists in providing means by which the feed-mechanism will be automatically rendered inoperative whenever the tension upon the film between the take-up sprocket and the coil is relaxed, or in other words, a cut-out mechanism which is controlled by the tension or pull on the take-up reach of the fihn.

The lamp 17 and motor 16 are controlled by a switch 84 which is adapted to close a circuit, through contacts 85 and 86. A lineconductor 87 is connected to contact 85. The other line-conductor 87 is connected by a branch 88 to one contact of lamp 17, and by a branch 89 to one of the brushes of the motor 16. Contact 86is connected to the other contact of the lamp and to the other brush of the motor. A. button 90 is connected to switch 84:, whereby the switch may be manually closed to close the circuit for the mo tor and lamp. A lever 91 is pivoted to the outside of the case and is adapted to push the switch 84: into open position. When the switch is open, the circuit through the lamp and motor will be open so that both the lamp and motor will be inoperative.

From the continuous take-up sprocket 33, the film passes around a driven sprocket 67 and thence to the outermost loop of the film-coil on the idlers. This sprocket is mounted on a bracket 50 secured to the supporting frame 50 and is driven from gear 55 on the continuous take-up shaft by a geartrain comprising idlers 68, 69 and a gear 70, all suitably mounted on bracket 50. A roller '7 2 carried by an arm 73, which is acted upon by a spring 74:, serves to hold the film in engagement with the sprocket 67. A stop-pin 75 limits the pressure applied by roller 72 to the film.

A lever 77 is pivoted to a stud 78 fixed to the case side 10. The upper end of this arm carries a roller 79 adapted to bear against the film between sprockets 67 and 33. A spring 80 is applied to said arm to cause the roller 79 to exert tension on the film Lassen and the latter is adapted to hold the roller against the force of the sprin 80. The lower end of lever 7 7 is connected by a wire 81 to arm 91, so that, except when the %oller 7 9 is held by the film, spring 80 Will operate thewire 81 to shift the switch 84 to open the circuit for the motor and the lamp. As a result, any time when the reach of film between the take-up sprocket 33 and the film coil is not taut, for example, if the filni should break, rollers 79 will not be held by the film and spring 80 will operate wire 81 to open the switch.

In operation, the film will be in position shown in Fig. 1 and the switch 84 will be closed. The feed-mechanismwill be operated by the motor causing the feedsprocket 31 to exert a constant pull upon the film and to unwind it from the coil; the intermittent feed-sprocket 32 to intermittently pull the film across the exposure opening, and the continuous takeup sprocket 33'to pay out the film to be taken up by the movement of the film coil, imparted thereto by the pull exerted upon the film by the feed-sprocket 31. This operation will continue as long as the switch 84 is closed. In event of a break in the fihn, 'at any point which will cause the coil to fail to take up the film, the tension upon the film between sprockets 33 and 67 will be relaxed so that roller 79 will be free to be operated by spring 80 to open the switch-84 and thus discon-tlnue the operation of the motor, feed-mechanism and lamp.

The invention isnot to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the ap-" pended claims, without departing from the scope of the invention.

spirit and L thus described the invention,

Havifn' what I c aim as new and desire to secure by- Letters Patent, is:

1. In a motion picture machine, the combination of an endless coil of film, a plurality of idler rollers within and for sustaining the coil, a continuous'feed-sprocket op-.

crating to pull the film from'the coil' and to rotate the C0ll, 'an intermittent feedsprocket, and a continuous take-up sprocket, all of said sprockets having their axes parallel to the axis of the coil the intermittent and take up sprockets being substantially alined with the coil.

2. In a motion picture machine, the combination of an endless coil of film, a plurality of idler rollers within and for sustaining the coil, a continuous feed-sprocket operating to pull the film from the coil and to rotate the coil, an intermittent feedsprocket, and a continuous take-up sprocket, all of sa'rsl sprockets having their axes parallel to the axis of the coil the intermittent and take up sprockets bein substantially alinedwith thecoil, the feed-sprockets opcrating upon a loop of the film, the latter being taut between the coil and. the continuous feed and take-up sprockets.

I 3. In a motion picture machine, the combination of an endless coil of film, a plurality of idler rollers within and for sustaining the coil, a continuous feed-sprocket operating to pull the film from the coil and to rotate the coil, an intermittent feedsprocket, a continuous take-up sprocket, all of said sprockets having their axes parallel to the axis of the coil, ,the intermittent and take up sprockets being substantially alined with the coil, the film having a loose loop between the continuous and intermittent feedsprocket and another loop between the in termi'ttent and take-up sprockets, and being taut between the coil and the continuous feed sprocket, and means for; keepin taut the reach of film between the ta e up sprocket and the coil.

4. In a motion picture machine, the combination of an endless coil of film, a plurality of idler rollers within and for sustaining the coil, a continuous feed sprocket operating to pull the film from the coiland to rotate the coil, an intermittent feed-sprocket, a continuous take-up sprocket, and a pair of adjustable guide-rollers engaging the film, between the coil and the continuous feedsprocket and angled relatively to the axis of the coil.

5. In a motion picture machine, the com bination of an endless coil of film, a plurality of idler rollers within and for sustaining the coil, a continuous feed sprocket operating to pull the film from the coil and to rotate the coil, an intermittent feed-sprocket, a continuous take-up sprocket, all of said sprockets having their axes parallel to the axis of the coil and a pair of pivotally ading the coil, a continuous feed sprocket operatingto pull the film from the .coil andto rotate the coil, an intermittent feed-sprocket,

a continuous take-up sprocket, all of said sprockets having their axes parallel to the axls of the coil," and a pair of cylindrical guide-rollers engaging the film between the coil and the feed-sprocket,- having their axes parallel and angled relatively to the axis of the coil. i

'7. In a. motion (picture machine, the combination of an en ess coil of film, a p1ural-' ity of idler rollers within and for sustaining the coil, a continuous feed sprocket'op crating to pull the film from the coil and to. rotate the coil, an intermittent feedsprocket, a continuous take-up sprocket, all

of said sprockets having their axes parallel to the axis of the coil, and a pair of cylindrical guide-rollers for the film, one of said guide-rollers being disposed within the coil.

8. In a motion picture machine, the combination of an endless coil of film, a pair of idler rolls within-and for sustaining the coil, feed-mechanism for the film, and an adjustable support for the film between the idlers. v

9. In a motion picture machine, the combination of an endless coil of film, a pair of idler rolls Within and for sustaining the coil disposed laterally of each other, feedmechanism for the film, and a support for the upper reach ofthe film between the idlers;

-10. In a motion picture machine, the combination of a case, an endless coil of film in HERMAN A. De VRY. 

